sysinst split project
Silas Silva
I was looking for the Google Summer of Code NetBSD projects ideas some
days ago when I saw the sysinst split project here:
http://www.netbsd.org/contrib/soc-projects.html#sysinst_split
Once of the problems I'd had with NetBSD was making its installation
more automatized than it is nowadays, so I thought about working on this
project. I previously had an idea to make a different install tool and,
at work, I already replaced sysinst by a shell script, when we needed an
automatic NetBSD installation for a given equipment.
There is a problem, though, that, since I have a full time job, and I
study at the university at night, I can't submit this project to work on
Google Summer of Code, which requires, IIRC, full time working on the
project. I can't have too much time during the weekdays, but I do have
on the weekend. I can propose a schedule for it.
So, my question is, is it possible for me to work on this and, would I
get reasonable support for you?
Things I have already done:
- Studied sysinst source code;
- Understood the menu generation with menuc;
- Listed important functions (in do_install() function) that are
candidates to go to the backend process, after likely heavy
modification;
- Basic specification of a configuration install file for the backend
utility.
I'm making a diary about my progress, that I can show you.
Since I want to start by the backend utility, my next step would be read
something about parsing techniques to implement the configuration file
reading module. I started reading the Dragon Book (but maybe it is too
much for a simple parsing like that) and I would like to implement the
configuration file parsing using Lex & Yacc, if possible, but need to
study these first.
So, I need to know if there is some interest about providing reasonable
support (I promise not bother you too much :-]) for me, in this project,
and if there is interest developing it out of Google SoC.
About me:
- NetBSD user for three years. Unix user for five years.
- Made two small contributions:
- Found a bug in libc, but provided no patch:
http://mail-index.netbsd.org/tech-userlevel/2008/11/16/msg001415.html
- Found a bug in documentation, with provided patch:
http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-docs/2009/05/28/msg000104.html
- Build my own NetBSD system, including personal kernel.
- Eventually -current tester.
- Good C/C++ programmer.
- Familiar with NetBSD install process and sysinst code.
- Familiar with NetBSD coding standards.
- Want know something more specific?
Thank you very much.
--
Silas Silva
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Eric Haszlakiewicz
> I was looking for the Google Summer of Code NetBSD projects ideas some
> days ago when I saw the sysinst split project here:
> There is a problem, though, that, since I have a full time job, and I
> study at the university at night, I can't submit this project to work on
> Google Summer of Code, which requires, IIRC, full time working on the
> project. I can't have too much time during the weekdays, but I do have
> on the weekend. I can propose a schedule for it.
Well, I don't think the "full time" part is really a hard requirement,
but you would have to be able to get the project done within the SoC
timeline, which may very well require full time work. It's kind of
irrelevant though, since the 2009 SoC is over (or were you thinking about
this for the 2010 one?).
> So, my question is, is it possible for me to work on this and, would I
> get reasonable support for you?
...snip...
wow, willing to work, organized, and polite too! I can't speak officially
for the project, but I think most people here would agree with me when I say
"yes, please, work on this!"
With an approach like this I think you'll get plenty of people willing to
help you get this going. You'll also likely get many opinions, some
conflicting, about how things should be done, so it may help to have a
little bit of a thick skin. :) Nevertheless, anyone willing to put out
the effort to work on NetBSD, especially for something like this that
many people have expressed a desire for in the past, will be welcome
and encouraged.
> So, I need to know if there is some interest about providing reasonable
> support (I promise not bother you too much :-]) for me, in this project,
> and if there is interest developing it out of Google SoC.
Myself, I'm a bit short on time, but I expect there will probably be some
other people chiming in here that will be able to help you out.
However, I'd certainly be able to chip into a unofficial "bounty" program,
whether in cash or beer (happen to live anywhere near Chicago?), if anyone
else is interested.
eric
Silas Silva
> With an approach like this I think you'll get plenty of people willing
> to help you get this going. You'll also likely get many opinions,
> some conflicting, about how things should be done, so it may help to
> have a little bit of a thick skin. :) Nevertheless, anyone willing to
> put out the effort to work on NetBSD, especially for something like
> this that many people have expressed a desire for in the past, will be
> welcome and encouraged.
Hi Eric! Thank you for your answer. This encourages me a lot.
I'll follow my plan normally, until someone who can speak officially by
the project (not you?) can give me directions, if I'm doing anything
wrong. I'll also propose him a roadmap, before putting this on the
public.
I don't know if this list would be the best place to send questions
related to this project. Maybe personal e-mail and IM networks would be
valuable.
Thanks!
--
Silas Silva
Eric Haszlakiewicz
> I don't know if this list would be the best place to send questions
> related to this project. Maybe personal e-mail and IM networks would be
> valuable.
You'll get more of a response if you post to current-users. There are
a lot more people that read that and not tech-install, even though
they might be interested in things like sysinst. A quick summary
email (e.g. "I want to work on sysinst, read my proposal on tech-install")
would probably get some people talking.
eric
Mark Kirby
If i remember correctly quite a bit of this project was completed
during the 2008 gsoc.
The summary page is at http://netbsd-soc.sourceforge.net/projects/install-tool/
and you can view the code from there too.
I have not seen Tim around on the lists for a while now so as eric
said post to current-users with a pointer to your proposal.
Hope the above link and code is of some help too you.
you may also want to look at the dragonflybsd installer which already
does all these things and could probably be ported over easier then
rewriting sysinst. Just a suggestion.
Mark
Silas Silva
> The summary page is at
> http://netbsd-soc.sourceforge.net/projects/install-tool/ and you can view
> the code from there too.
I glanced at it, thanks (going to take a detailed look later). I was
thinking of another syntax for the file, but there are many interested
things there. It looks a good idea to create a lib to parse it.
> Hope the above link and code is of some help too you.
It is and it will be. Thank you very much!
> you may also want to look at the dragonflybsd installer which already
> does all these things and could probably be ported over easier then
> rewriting sysinst. Just a suggestion.
Good suggestion. Already downloading it... I'm sure that, if it will not
be ported, a lot of ideas will come from it.
Thank you!
--
Silas Silva